Three axis lock joint

ABSTRACT

A clamping element for a toy vehicle trackset support structure includes a housing defining a passage therethrough and a socket. The passage receives an elongated support rod while the socket receives a ball which further supports a trackway segment. A lever actuated lock secures the rod and ball within the housing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of Provisional Application 60/538,857 entitled THREE AXIS LOCK JOINT filed Jan. 23, 2004 on behalf of the applicants of this application.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to toy vehicle tracksets and particularly to the structural support members utilized in supporting the trackway.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Toy vehicle tracksets have enjoyed great popularity among children for many years. Responding to this popularity, toy vehicle trackset manufacturers have endeavored to provide substantial variety of such tracksets. Accordingly, practitioners in the toy arts have provided toy vehicle tracksets which utilize multiply turned and loop toy vehicle trackways. The objective is to create a toy vehicle track which undergoes a substantial number of turns, loops and changes in elevation. One of the most critical elements in the fabrication of such toy vehicle trackways is the creation of support structures for the trackways which provide a maximum of stability and strength without dramatically increasing weight and cost. In recent developments in toy vehicle tracksets, practitioners have endeavored to provide tracksets which may vary in contour to further enhance the attractiveness of the product. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,320 issued to Miller sets forth a ROLLER COASTER TOY having a plurality of freestanding vertical supports comprising generally planar base members and upwardly extending expandable tubular members thereto. The upper end of the freestanding vertical members includes a ball and socket coupling to a multiply curved roller coaster toy track.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,489 issued to Wang sets forth an ELECTRICALLY OPERATED MOVING BODY TRAVELING ON A RAIL CAPABLE OF EXPLAINING FREE QUADRANTS DESCRIBED IN THE MOBIUS THEOREM in which a toy vehicle track which generally describes a figure eight is supported by a plurality of freestanding vertical supports. The vertical supports allow pivotal adjustment of the support angles imparted to the track portions to which they are secured. As a result, the toy vehicle track may be twisted and elevated as desired.

German published patent application DE003800811A1 sets forth an APPARATUS FOR HOLDING SECTIONS OF TOY TRACKS LAID ON SUPPORTING ARMS ARRANGED ON PILLARS fabricated to reduce or eliminate bending. Provision is made for arrangement of a crossbar supported by a pillar. Each support comprises a generally planar base with upwardly extending vertical support. At the upper end of the support, a cantilevered arm extends to support a hanging flexible element which in turn supports a track supporting arm.

Other clamping and supporting structures have been provided by practitioners in related arts which include structures having ball and socket interconnections or other multi-axis supports. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,961 issued to Gray sets forth a BALL AND SOCKET INTERCONNECTION AND RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY EMPLOYING THE SAME for use in surgical retractor systems adapted to releasibly receive the ball member such that the ball member is capable of pivotal and rotational movement within the socket.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,653 issued to Krauter sets forth a JOINTED SUPPORT STRUCTURE for use in supporting objects such as medical instruments.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,627 issued to Dobrovolny sets forth a CLAMP FOR RETRACTOR SUPPORT having a first arm, a second arm and a first clamping member. The first and second support arms are each attached to a pivot ball. The first clamping member has a clamping bore which is adapted to receive and engage the pivot balls. The first clamping member retains the first and second support arms in selected positions.

U.S. Pat. No. 807,857 issued to Palmenberg sets forth a DISPLAY FIXTURE having a support movably securable to a cylindrical rod. The support further supports an adjustable and lockable ball and socket joint. The ball and socket joint is further coupled to an elongated rod which terminates in a second ball element used in a further ball and socket joint.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,681 issued to Greenwood, Sr., et al. sets forth an OPEN ENDED TOY CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM fabricated to permit the construction of a variety of different structures in varying sizes and shape. The toy construction system includes a connecting member having a generally planar structure supporting a plurality of extending ball elements. Cooperating socket elements are couplable to the ball elements to provide structure element interconnection in a pivotal attachment.

In related arts, a substantial number of clamping devices utilized in securing structural elements together have been provided. Examples of which are set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,305,869 issued to Chen; 6,042,541 issued to Dobrovolny, et al.; 5,320,444 issued to Bokwalter, et al.; 3,084,964 issued to Ruth and 2,260,995 issued to Kruczek.

Additional devices provided by practitioners in the art which relate generally to the present invention set forth various multiply jointed support members used in providing adjustable positioning of structural elements within a total structure. Examples of such devices are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,236,844 issued to Mantele; 5,560,728 issued to McFadden; 4,974,802 issued to Hendren; 4,917,527 issued to Bollinger; 4,491,435 issued to Meier and 4,431,329 issued to Baitella.

Additional structures generally relating to coupling of structural elements are set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,048,995 issued to Beaulieu; 2,346,346 issued to Anderson; 1,084,379 issued to Wile and 617,206 issued to Tveit, et al.

Japanese published patent application JP363280911A sets forth a UNIVERSALLY SUPPORTING DEVICE while French published application FR002556791A1 sets forth an ARTICULATED ASSEMBLY DEVICE WITH MUTUAL ENGAGEMENT.

While the foregoing described prior art devices have to some extent improved the art and have in some instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for evermore improved apparatus for connecting structural elements of devices such as toy vehicle tracksets and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved toy vehicle trackset. It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved structure for supporting a trackway.

The present invention three axis lock joint provides substantial improvement in the flexibility of toy vehicle trackset assembly and fabrication. The three axis lock joint provided by the present invention enables the child user to substantially adjust the structural supports for the toy vehicle trackway. Of particular importance in the present invention structure is the capability of providing support attachments for the trackway which may be varied in all three axes which maximizes assembly and flexibility.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided for use in a toy vehicle trackset, a three axis lock joint comprising: a housing defining a passage therethrough for receiving a pole, the housing being slidably movable on a received pole and the housing defining a socket; a track connector element having means for securing a track portion; a ball element joined to the track connector element, the ball element being received within the socket; a lock member supported by the housing having a first lock pad supported within the socket and a second lock pad supported within the passage; and a lock lever pivotally supported on the housing having a cam interposed between the first and second pads, the lock lever movable between a locking position in which the first and second lock pads are cammed into the socket and the passage respectively and an unlock position in which the first and second lock pads are not cammed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements and in which:

FIG. 1 sets forth a perspective view of a toy vehicle trackset which utilizes a three axis lock joint constructed in accordance with the present invention as part of its support structure;

FIG. 2 sets forth a perspective view of an alternative toy vehicle trackset which also utilizes the present invention three axis lock joint;

FIG. 3 sets forth a perspective enlarged view of a three axis lock joint constructed in accordance with the present invention securing a track portion;

FIG. 4 sets forth an underside view of the three axis lock joint and secured track portion shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 sets forth a perspective assembly view of the present invention three axis lock joint.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

By way of overview, the present invention three axis lock joint is configured to secure a track portion to a support structure as a scaffold pole or the like in a simple locking attachment which enables adjustment in all three axes of movement. The lock joint is secure in its attachment and is operative in response to a single lock handle which pivots between locked and unlocked positions in a simple movement of approximately sixty degrees. The lock joint utilizes a housing which is slidably received upon the pole and which further supports a ball and socket element. The ball and socket element further supports and extending track connector element which is attached to the cooperating toy vehicle track. In the unlocked position of the lock handle, the entire assembly of the lock joint is slidable upon the pole and is rotatable about the major axis of the pole providing two axes of movement. Further, in the unlocked position, the ball and socket element of the lock joint is freely movable to provide third axis movements. With the lock handle moved to the locked position, the lock joint is not longer movable in either axis upon the supporting scaffold pole. In addition, the locked position of the locked handle prevents the ball and socket element to move in any axis. As a result, a simple one lever action provides secure locking of the locked joint.

FIG. 1 sets forth a perspective view of a toy vehicle trackset constructed in accordance with the present invention and generally referenced by numeral 10. Toy vehicle trackset 10 includes a scaffold-type support generally referenced by numeral 11. Support 11 includes a number of base elements such as base 12 which utilize a plurality of support rods such as rod 13. Trackset 10 further includes an intersection 30 supported by scaffold support 11. Intersection 30 includes an outer ring 31 pivotally supported upon support 11 and an inner ring 32. Inner ring 32 is small enough in diameter to fit within the interior of outer ring 31. Inner ring 32 is pivotally secured to outer ring 31. As a result, both outer ring 31 and inner ring 32 are pivotable both with respect to each other and with respect to support 11. Outer ring 32 is coupled to a pair of track portions formed by track loop 22 and track ramp 23. Similarly, inner ring 32 is coupled to one end of track loop 22 and to track segment 21. Because the end portions of track loop 22 are spaced from ramp 23 and track segment 21 respectively, a gap or “jump” is formed across outer ring 31 and inner ring 32. The angle between the jump paths thus formed within intersection 30 is determined by the pivotal positions of outer ring 31 and inner ring 32.

Trackset 10 further includes a booster 15 fabricated in accordance with conventional fabrication techniques which accelerates a toy vehicle passing downwardly upon ramp 23. Trackset 10 further includes a flexible multiple apertured panel 16 which in turn is supported by an adjustable support 17. The remainder of trackset 10 is coupled by a track segment 19 coupled to panel 16 and forming a U-shaped portion together with a straight track segment 20. Track segment 20 is coupled to track segment 21.

Track segment 21, loop portion 22 and ramp 23 are fabricated to provide a trackway which is highly flexible in use and readily adjustable to a variety of curves, loops and twists. Thus, for example, ramp 23 is formed of a track segment 18 comprising an elongated frame 33 supporting a plurality of guide rail posts such as posts 34 and 35. Posts 34 and 35 are supported along each side of frame 33. A pair of flexible generally rod-like rails such as rails 36 and 37 are secured within posts 34 and 35 as well as the remaining posts along frame 33. The utilization of frame 33 together with supporting posts such as posts 34 and 35 and flexible guide rails such as guide rails 36 and 37 provides a track structure which facilitates bending the resulting track into a variety of curves, loops, twists and the like which are maintained in shape due to the secure attachment of guard rails 36 and 37 on each side of the track frame. In the preferred fabrication of the track segments, the fit and attachment of the guardrails utilizes and extremely tight snap-fit attachment for secure holding of the guardrails. Conversely, the positioning of the guardrails after the track frame has been shaped as desired allows the snapped in guardrails to maintain the curvature or twist or other shaping of the track segment.

FIG. 2 sets forth a perspective view of a toy vehicle trackset constructed in accordance with the present invention and generally referenced by numeral 40. Trackset 40 differs from trackset 10 in its utilization in a different arrangement of components and a different combination of components but functions basically the same. Accordingly, trackset 40 includes a loop segment 41 supported by a support structure 42 together with a loop segment 44. Loop segment 44 is coupled between a curved panel 43 having a support 45 and a booster 15. Booster 15 is fabricated in accordance with conventional fabrication techniques and is used to accelerate a toy vehicle passing through the booster stage. An intersection 30 fabricated in the manner described above in FIG. 1, is positioned with an outer ring 31 and an inner ring 32 in a flat or coplanar relationship. Thus, outer ring 31 is coupled to track loop 41 and booster 15 while inner ring 32 is coupled to the remaining end of loop 41 and curved panel 43.

Loop portion 41 and loop portion 44 of trackset 40 are fabricated in the above-described manner in which a track frame supports a plurality of posts which in turn are secured to a pair of flexible guide rails. It will be noted by examination of FIGS. 1 and 2 that this track structure provides substantial flexibility and variability in shaping the contours of the trackset.

In the horizontal configuration of intersection 30 shown in FIG. 2, the jump portions formed by the respective track segments are generally coplanar and generally horizontal. This allows intersection 30 to provide a more conventional toy vehicle-intersecting jump.

FIG. 3 sets forth a perspective view of three axis lock joint constructed in accordance with the present invention and generally referenced by numeral 130. FIG. 3 shows lock joint 130 secured to a typical scaffold pole 132 and supporting a typical track segment 131. Concurrently, FIG. 4 shows a reversed side view of lock joint 130 secured to pole 132 and supporting track segment 131. Thus, with simultaneous reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, lock joint 130 includes a housing 133 supporting a pivoting lock lever 134. Housing 133 defines a passage 135 extending therethrough which receives a portion of pole 132. Housing 133 further defines a socket 136 within which a cooperating ball 137 is received. A connecting element 138 is joined to ball 137 and provides attachment to a track segment 131.

By means described below in FIG. 5, lock joint 130 is freely movable upon pole 132 when lock lever 134 is pivoted to the unlocked position. Similarly and by means also described below in FIG. 5, ball 137 and connector element 138 are freely movable with respect to socket 136 so long as lever 134 is in the unlocked position. As is also shown below in FIG. 5, the pivoting of lever 134 to the locked position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 secures the position of housing 133 upon pole 132 and further secures the position of ball 137 within socket 136.

As a result, with lever 134 in its unlocked position, lock joint 130 is freely movable along pole 132 in the directions indicated by arrows 140. Additionally, in the unlocked position, lock joint 130 is also rotatable upon pole 132 in the directions indicated by arrows 141. Finally, with lever 134 in the unlocked position, ball 137 and thereby connector element 138 are freely movable within socket 136. As a result, element 138 is able to move track segment 131 with respect to pole 132 in all axes of movement as indicated by arrows 142 and arrows 143.

Once the desired position of track segment 131 has been attained, the user simply moves lever 134 to the locked position securing all movement of housing 133 upon pole 132 and locking the position of ball 137 within socket 136. As a result, the entire support of track segment 131 in all axes of movement is secured.

FIG. 5 sets forth a perspective assembly view of lock joint 130 in which housing 133 is separated into its two half portions 133A and 133B. As described above, housing 133 defines a passage 135 which receives pole 132 together with a socket 136 which receives ball 137. As is also described above, handle 134 is pivotally supported by housing 133. A lock member 146 is secured within housing 133 and includes a pair of lock pads 148 and 147. Pad 148 is positioned within socket 136 while pad 147 is positioned within passage 135. Additionally, handle 134 defines a pair of opposed angled or wedge shaped cam surfaces 144 and 145.

With handle 134 in the locked position shown in FIG. 5, cam surfaces 144 and 145 urge pads 147 and 148 outwardly into passage 145 and socket 136 respectively. This outward movement of pads 147 and 148 presses against pole 132 (seen in FIG. 3) and ball 137 respectively locking them against further movement. Conversely, with lever 134 pivoted to the unlocked position indicated by arrow 149, cams 144 and 145 are removed from contact with pads 147 and 148 and spring inwardly to avoid pressure against pole 132 (seen in FIG. 3) and ball 137. As a result, the entire three axis support of element 138 upon the supporting pole is controlled by a single lever 134.

What has been shown is a three axis lock joint for use in securing a track segment to a supporting pole or the like which utilizes a single lever to move between three axis movement and secure locking attachment. The entire structure is readily fabricated of molded plastic components and is low in cost of manufacture.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. For use in a toy vehicle trackset, a three axis lock joint comprising: a housing defining a passage therethrough for receiving a pole, said housing being slidably movable on a received pole and said housing defining a socket; a track connector element having means for securing a track portion; a ball element joined to said track connector element, said ball element being received within said socket; a lock member supported by said housing having a first lock pad supported within said socket and a second lock pad supported within said passage; and a lock lever pivotally supported on said housing having a cam interposed between said first and second pads, said lock lever movable between a locking position in which said first and second lock pads are cammed into said socket and said passage respectively and an unlock position in which said first and second lock pads are not cammed.
 2. The three axis lock joint set forth in claim 1 wherein said lock member includes a pair of arms each supporting one of said first and second lock pads and wherein said cam moves between said first and second lock pads.
 3. The three axis lock joint set forth in claim 2 wherein said passage and said socket are positioned on opposite sides of said housing. 